Category: Television Page 15 of 19

Here it is. The end of the audition round. I’m ready. :)

Sanjaya Malakar – I really like him. From what I’ve heard, everyone likes him. And he’s in! Yay!

Anna Kearns – I thought I’d seen her in the rooms, but I wasn’t sure. And she’s not in. I’m not surprised. I was a little surprised that she got as far as the top 40.

Bernard Williams – And this is the guy that Paula said was totally off-key. And he’s not in. And there’s Philip Stacy, so he did make the top 40. I couldn’t tell.

Eric Davis and Tami Gosnell – Tami was someone Simon really liked. I don’t remember seeing Eric before. Both are no.

Melinda Doolittle – She better get through. Because she’s amazing. Yay! She’s in.

Brandan Rogers – Ah, so he is there. I didn’t notice him last night. And he’s in as well.

Gina Glockson – And she’s in! She was in my second tier, but I’m really glad she made it, after making it as far as the room round last year.

Jimmy McNeal – Aw, I really liked him. But he and Errick somebody or other are both out.

Haley Scarnato – Yay! She’s the one that Simon called “cabaret” and I decided that cabaret must be my favorite. And she’s in. Woot.

Phil Stacy – I’m not horribly impressed by him. I mean, I like him, but his voice is too nasally for me. But apparently not too nasally for the judges. He’s in.

Chris Sligh – I like his sense of humor. And his voice. If he doesn’t make it through, I’ll be very surprised. Yep, he’s in. :)

Blake Lewis – I’m not sure his voice is quite up with all the others, but he’s certainly a great performer, and I really like him. And he’s through. :)

Thomas Lowe – Not through.

Rudy Cardenas – He’s borderline for me. Could take him or leave him. I guess we’re taking him; he’s in.

Paul Kim – Okay, we really didn’t need to know about the underwear. Really. NO REALLY. And he’s in. Please tell me that this lucky underwear thing allows for washing.

Jordin Sparks – HA! She is there. Okay, yeah, I did see her in the rooms, I just didn’t recognize her with her hair up. Good! I’m glad she made it in.

Okay, a couple of people we don’t know plus Tatiana McConnico, not through.

A.J. Tabaldo – Five times trying? Wow. And he’s through. Nice.

Tiffany Edwards – I remember seeing her last night, but not before that. She’s good. And in.

Leslie Hunt – Are they all singing that song? I mean, I like the song (one of Kat’s best performances last year, BTW), but still. And she’s in as well.

Nick Pedro – PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE I WANT HIM. Um, on the show I mean. Awesome! He’s in! Woot!

Hee. Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader. I might be amused, if I weren’t so embarrassed for the adults. Interestingly enough, when my mom or I forget something factual that we should know, we say “I knew it in fifth grade.”

Alaina Alexander – I liked her in the auditions…that Hollywood week performance wasn’t great, though. But it was good enough, apparently; she’s in. Simon was crushing on her in the auditions. Couldn’t’ve hurt. ;)

Chris Richardson – Yes! I thought I’d glimpsed him in the rooms. And he is IN! I like him, so that’s good.

Sabrina Sloane – First time we’ve seen her that I know of. And she’s in. I wonder how much time Simon spends thinking up all the ways to phrase the acceptance so it sounds like a denial. “We have decided not………to exclude you.”

Jerome Chisum, Joelle James, Matthew Buckstein (aka cowboy guy), Princess Johnson – most of whom we don’t know, all gone.

Lakisha Jones – She’s really really good. And the judges agree with me. Always nice when that happens. She’s in.

Nicole Tranquillo – I think I saw her several times last night, but not in the original auditions. In any case, she’s through.

Jared Cotter – Another new face, and he is in.

Amy Krebs – Yet another one not previously showcased, and yet another one in.

Antonella Barba and Marisa – I love me some Antonella, but I remember Marisa being really good, too. But please, Antonella, please. I hate when it’s down to two left. Oh, crap, Antonella, not lyric trouble. They HATE that. Whew. Antonella is through. I shouldn’t be surprised, though. They’ve really emphasized her throughout the audition process–apparently she’s one of the marketing darlings this year.

Tommy Daniels and Sundance Head – Both very good, though Sundance faltered a lot in Hollywood. I don’t remember seeing Thomas in Hollywood at all. I’m not sure I agree with putting Sundance through. I think they only did because he’s really different. But I guess that’s a fair reason, too.

So our top 24 are:

Alaina Alexander
Antonella Barba
Melinda Dolittle
Tiffany Edwards
Gina Glockson
Leslie Hunt
Lakisha Jones
Amy Krebs
Haley Scarnato
Sabrina Sloane
Jordin Sparks
Nicole Tranquillo

Rudy Cardenas
Jared Cotter
Sundance Head
Paul Kim
Blake Lewis
Sanjaya Malakar
Nick Pedro
Chris Richardson
Brandan Rogers
Chris Sligh
Phil Stacy
A.J. Tabaldo

And my prediction stats are 14/24, and 8 of the other 10 weren’t shown in the original auditions. Not bad.

edit to correct Amy’s last name 2/18/07

Hollywood, here we come. Yep, twice as many girls as guys…that’s about how the auditions we saw ratioed out. (See my picks for Top 24 two posts below this one.) Of the 48 successful auditions showcased, only 19 were guys.

Okay, Jory Steinberg. She’s one of my picks. Ooh, she and Paula are wardrobe twins. Not sure if that’s good or not… She sounded good to me. Just grabbing names for future reference: Geri Guyer, Kelly Caruso, Lisa Morrison, Christen Itam, Jeromishia Lemar. Haven’t seen any of them before. And they’re all gone. So I’m 0 for 24 so far…

Perla Meneses. She’s on my “won’t make it” list. Dude, that’s the same song she sung for the audition. Probably not a good move. Rachel Jenkins, the Reservist. I like her, but I don’t think she’s got enough. Perla’s through, Rachel’s not. I still predict Perla won’t make the final cut.

Baylie Brown. I think she’ll make it. Yep. Ashlyn Carr, Porcelana Patino, Sarah Burgess, all gone. I hoped Sarah would make the finals, but the other two don’t surprise me at all. Anyway, Sarah makes two of my picks gone. Crap. Nicole Turner–we haven’t seen her before, I don’t think.

Melinda Doolittle, Gina Glockson, Tatiana McConnico, Jamie Lynn Ward are all through. Melinda’s on my definite list, the other three on my second tier one.

Time for the guys. Four less boys than girls? Does that mean they’re picking 16 girls and 8 boys? Or did I completely mishear that?

Brian Miller. Several of them are resinging their original audition songs. Maybe that’s what they’re doing, then. My bad. I like his voice, but he just doesn’t seem all there to me. Jerrod Fowler. Navy guy! I like him. Matt Sato–not sure he’s got what it takes, either, although I have him pegged as a dark horse at this point. Oh, and there’s Chris Sligh. Ooh, Matt’s through and Jerrod’s not? Misguessed that one. But I knew Chris Sligh was going to make it through. Matt’s gotta quit with the crying, though. He’s like the male Klancie Keough (from Australian Idol).

Also through: Blake Lewis (cool!), Nick Pedro (awesome!), Phil Stacy and Sean Michel (I cut both of them for my lists).

Next up, group round. *shudder* Ooh, they have to pick their own groups? And it can be boy/girl, and different numbers of people? We’re going for maximum conflict here, apparently! Hey, one of the singing cowboys is back! My least favorite of the three! I’m abusing punctuation!! Amanda and Antonella bickering already. Great. And Baylie’s in their group, too. Three of my faves (especially Antonella)…if they can’t get it together, they’ll drag each other down. Grr. And the attack of the forgotten lyrics. Always a popular problem. Commercial teaser–one of the Amanda/Antonella/Baylie group is gone. Hope it’s Amanda. I’m sorry, was that mean? I just like the other two better.

House tonight is a patient who can’t feel pain. Didn’t Grey’s Anatomy do that like a month ago?

And they’re being really tough on lyrics. So there goes Matt. Oh, that’s Sanjaya Malakar, isn’t it? Wasn’t sure if he’d gotten through. Perla, what the hell was that? Hey, Marisa’s not bad. Yep, told you. Perla’s out. Oh, and Rudy Cardenas is through, too. Cool. Awesome group. Really uses Blake’s beatboxing to good effect. Very well done. THAT’S what group needs to do. And Sundance is still around. But not nearly as impressive as he was in auditions. But apparently impressive enough for Paula.

Ooh, Baylie, that’s some serious lyric forgetting. You’re totally screwed. But Antonella did really good, I thought. But as a group performance, it was really really weak and boring. So there goes Baylie. I thought they were going to stay friends, right? Or…not. Okay, Amanda is totally two-faced and I’m not at all happy with her. Antonella was the only one who came through that whole experience well, I think. There goes Sean Michel and Michelle Steingas. Are they going to reveal the final cut tonight? Last year they had a separate show for that. Or maybe that’s what they’ll do tomorrow? I don’t think there’s time tonight, anyway. Only eight minutes.

How in hell is Norbit the number one movie in the country? I do not understand American moviegoers. I swear, every time I see the trailer for it, my IQ drops a little, along with a few brain cells for good measure.

Now for the rooms. Room #1 includes, I believe: Gina Glockson, Haley Scarnato, Blake Lewis, Rudy Cardenas, Chris Sligh, Paul Kim, cowboy guy from last year. And they’re through. Room #2 has: Nick Pedro, Antonella Barba, Tami Gosnell, Thomas Daniels, maybe Chris Richardson, Sundance Head, Lakisha Jones, Sanjaya Malakar, Alaina Alexander. And they’re through. Good. Room #3 then, is not going through: Amanda Coluccio, Shyamali Malakar (*pout*), Jamie Lynn Ward, Brian Miller. Aw, Sanjaya’s so sweet. I love him. But I really, really, really wish Shyamali had made it through.

And Top 24 tomorrow revealed tomorrow. Here’s the list of original auditioners that went to Hollywood, chronologically by audition appearance. The bolded ones are in the final forty.

Denise Jackson – never saw during Hollywood rounds (if I say this, means I didn’t see them…could’ve been there and I missed them; could, in fact, be in that final forty, though I expect they would’ve shown them more prominently in that case)
Perla Meneses – cut during group round
Jerrod Fowler – cut during initial Hollywood round
Michelle Steingas – cut during group round
Matt Sato – cut during group round
Rachel Jenkins – cut during initial Hollywood round
Sarah Krueger – never saw during Hollywood rounds
Thomas Daniels – I believe he was in room #2, therefore, in the final forty
Blake Lewis – in the final forty
Shyamali Malakar – in room #3, cut in during last Hollywood round
Sanjaya Malakar – in the final forty
Rudy Cardenas – in the final forty, I believe
Anna Kearns? – not positive, but she may be in the room #1 and #2 reunion scene, in which case she’s in the final forty
Jordin Sparks – never saw during Hollywood rounds, but it’s quite possible I missed her–there were several people who looked sort of like her
Sundance Head – in the final forty
Danielle McCulloch – never saw during Hollywood rounds
Sean Michel – cut during group round
Melinda Doolittle – she definitely made it through the initial round, but I didn’t see her after that. Anyone? edit: Doing slo-mo on the rooms, I think she’s in room #1. Whew.
Philip Stacy – he also made it through the initial round, but I don’t remember him later.
Sarah Burgess – cut during initial round
Amanda Coluccio – in room #3, cut in the final round
Antonella Barba – in the final forty
Kia Thornton – don’t remember seeing in Hollywood
Jenry Bejarano – don’t remember seeing, which is disappointing, because he’s totally hot
Jory Steinberg – cut during initial round
Porcelana Patino – cut during initial round
Rachel Zavita – don’t remember seeing
Chris Richardson – I think he may have been in room #2, and thus in the final forty, but I wouldn’t swear to it, and I don’t remember seeing him in any of the earlier rounds
Nicholas Pedro – in the final forty
Katie Bernard – never saw her
Tatiana McConnico – she made it through the initial round, but I don’t think I saw her after that; she might be in room #2 and the final forty, but I’m by no means sure
Bernard Williams? – might possibly have been in room #1, and the final forty
Jamie Lynn Ward – in room #3, cut in the final round
Chris Sligh – in the final forty
Alaina Alexander – I was worried about her all night! But then she was in room #2, so she’s in the final forty
Brandon Rogers – don’t remember seeing him
Brian Miller – in room #3, cut from final round
Haley Scarnato – another of my early favorites, and she was in room #1, and thus in the final forty
Baylie Brown – cut from group round
Akron Watson – never saw him
Ashlyn Carr – cut from initial round
Jimmy McNeal – in the final forty
Tami Gosnell – in the final forty
Paul Kim – in the final forty
Gina Glockson – in the final forty
Ashley Cleland – never saw
Ebony Jointer – don’t remember seeing, though she was quite good and I hope I’m wrong
Lakisha Jones – I’m pretty sure she was in room #2 and therefore the final forty

2/11/07 – added photos for the contestants going on to Hollywood

8:03 – Christa – So, if she felt happy any other random day, she would just wear that to, say, work or something? Paula? Yes? What? *shakes head*

8:05 – Tami – Not bad. There’s something there, but it’s not terribly appealing to me. Appealing to Simon, apparently.

8:12 – Paul – Very pretty voice. Interesting tone.

8:14 – Jack – Um. Less pretty. And he’s trying so hard! :p

8:17 – Gina – Hmm…not the best song choice, I wouldn’t say, but I do think she’s got something.

8:24 – Edward – Well, auditioning for American Idol would be as good a way as any, I guess, to meet Paula Abdul. Embarrassing, but effective. As long as you made it through the earlier auditions. Which…yeah. Don’t know how some people do that.

8:28 – Heather/Ashley/Ebony – Help, the mediocre is attacking! Because actually, the first two girls aren’t bad, but not great. The third one, Ebony, is really, really good. Amazing. And yeah, Ashley was borderline. She was a bit pitchy near the top, but a second chance isn’t out of order. Ebony was one of the best I’ve heard so far, actually…why didn’t they show her on the actual audition show for the city? Mystery.

8:35 – Aha, the songwriting competition is announced. That’s going to be interesting. It could be good (I mean, last year’s singles were pretty bad), but it could also be scarily horrible.

8:36 – Brandon – Hee, he’s actually not bad at that! He should try out for So You Think You Can Dance.

8:38 – William – Ooh, an original song. Too bad it’s crap. People need to learn from Australian Idol, where the singer-songwriters last year were actually GOOD.

8:41 – Alexander – Hee. Paula: “I don’t remember doing it quite like that…” Okay, this guy is just confusing me.

8:50 – Lakisha – Nicely done. Very nicely done. Simon confuses me, though. He uses “old-fashioned” to mean both something he likes and something he doesn’t. He needs to define his terms more clearly, is all I’m saying.

8:53 – I like the Coke commercials. My favorite, though, is the Grand Theft Auto one…you know, where you think the guy is going to steal stuff and beat everyone up, but he ends up doing good deeds for everyone? It’s great. If all commercials were creative like that, people wouldn’t hate them so much and want to fast-forward on their DVR.

8:57 – Ah, Hollywood Week. 172 people. I was concerned there weren’t going to be that many. Dude, there are good people on there that are saying they blew their chances! Wasn’t that Antonella? And Amanda who was ripping on someone (possibly Antonella)? Hmmmm… And both the Malakar twins are crying… Geez. It’s going to be brutal, apparently. Oh, yeah. Anyone ready to make Top 24 predictions yet? I’ll try to come up with some over the weekend. Right alongside trying to figure out a topic for a European Romanticism paper. Any ideas on that front? ;)